Paizo created an NPC in Valais that was intriguing to players and inspiring to GMs. Interactions between players and Valais performed by a motivated GM elicited fear, confusion, and compassion to depths reserved for few fictional characters. On one occasion where I was running Thralls of the Shattered God at a convention a player jumped to her defense against another player knowing full well the possible reprisals for player-versus-player actions.

These players, so invested in the redemption of Valais, wish to see her story completed while playing the same character. Yet Paizo has decided to make this highly unlikely with the level range for the third part of her story. Many will accept this slight, happy to simply see Valais' recuperation reach fruition. But for others it will be akin to seeing some other band of heroes defeat Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, or another pair of friends pluck a ring from the bodies of two hobbits and toss it into the nearby volcano. Some may see this as hyperbole; but there are those that chose to believe in an apparent monster and brave a terrible dungeon, then chose to follow her again into a demon-infested land in the hopes that she could be saved.

I have no doubt that Season 9 will be filled with thrilling scenarios for players to enjoy. I even believe that the Shores of Heaven will be a wonderful experience. But it will be bittersweet to see "the replacements" go through the adventure instead of the heroes that invested trust into Valais despite her appearance and were rewarded with more than anything that could appear on a chronicle sheet.